Framer for rafters



Sept.

27, 1938.' R. GREVE I FRAMER FOR RAFTERS Filed Sept. 26, 1956 POBfRT L.GREVE @Y @uw 197' '7' GENE Y same for various pitches.

. from the center line of the latter blade.

As has been stated, the pitch of the rafter varies in differentbuildings, depending upon the width and the rise of the roof. It isusually dened in terms of inches of rise per foot of run. To enable theindex marker 25 to be set in accordance with different roof pitches, anindex scale 29 is impressed on the stock alongside the slot 24, thegraduations being numbered from zero on up in regular sequence, asshown. In Fig. 1, the marker is at the upper end of the slot and thepitch indicated is zero. When in that position, the blade I6 is at aright angle with respect to the stock. As the marker is moved down theslot, the angle of the blade is varied, as is obvious. Assuming that themarker is set at index number 1, the blade will stand in substantiallythe position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, where there is alsoindicated, in dotted lines, a rafter R to which the invention isapplied. When so applied, no matter where the index marker is set, aline drawn on the rafter along the edge of the blade will `show whereacommon rafter is to be cut to give the plumb-cut at its upper end. Ifthe length of the rafter be known, the bottom cut can readily be made,the same extending at a right angle to the plumbcut. The length can, ofcourse, be calculated or can be ascertained from tables giving the Ihave, however, provided means for showing the length of the rafterrequired. It comprises a long blade 30 which is adapted to be slidablyAattached to the blade I6. On it is a scale 3|, graduated in feet,extending On the stock is another scale 32, also graduated in feet andextending from the `center line of blade I6. The blades I6 and 30 areperpendicular to each other. When the index marker 25 is set at acertain pitch and the blade I6 is correspondingly moved, the blade 36overlies the stock, as

indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 1, forming aY right triangle, ofwhich the stock is the hypothenuse. The run of the rafter being known,the blade 30 may be slid toward or from the stock until the mark of thescale 3| which indicates the length of the run falls upon the scale 32.The mark on the latter scale at the point of intersection of the scaleswill then give the rafter length. Thus, without calculation or recourseto some table, which may not be at hand, can the operator obtain thelength of the rafter required for the given pitch and run. Moreover,having thus ascertained the length of the cornrnon rafter, he can movethe framer to the ascertained position and, using the blade 30 as astraight edge, mark the rafter for the bottom out. Having marked therafter at both of its ends, it remains only to saw on the marked lines,moving the'saw at a right `angle to the plane of the side of the rafter.f

As will be noted from Fig. 3, the blade I6 is located near the sidemember Near the opposite side I2 and swinging parallel with the plane ofmovement of the blade I6 butin the opposite direction, is a blade 33.This blade is pivoted on the bolt or screw |52'- and is held fromsliding thereon by spacing sleeves I8a and |93. It, too, has a marginalflange 34, like the flange I'I of blade I6 except that it is turned inthe opposite direction. The blade 33 is pivotally connected, by link 35,with an index pointer 36 through elements identical with those shown inFig. 4. The pointer 36 is guided up and down the stock in a slot 31 inthe plate I2, and is held in any set position by a screw with a head 38,like the head 21 of the screw 26.

The blade I6 is intended for marking the plumb cuts of the common andjack rafters, while the blade 33 is intended for marking the plumb cutsof the hip and valley rafters. These rafters, of course, are longer thanthe common rafters for the same building and they have a differentpitch. Consequently, the scale 38a alongside the slot 31 is differentfrom the scale 29. The length of the hip and valley rafters can bedetermined by applying the blade 3|) to the blade 33 and by sliding itthereon until its scale 3l intersects a scale 39 on the plate I2 at apoint representing on the scale 3| the length of the run of the rafter.That point of intersection gives, on the scale 39, the rafter length.

The jack, hip and valley rafters require side cutting at their upperends, the jack rafters to fit against the vertical face of the inclinedhip rafter and the inclined hip and Valley rafters to fit against thevertical face of the ridge. In my invention the links 2| and 35 areadapted to serve as the side markers or straight-edges for markingfor-the side cuts of the respective rafters. That is to say, when theindex pointer 25 is set to a pitch indicated by the proper mark on thescale 29 and the blade I6 is correspondingly swung, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. y1, the link 2| has taken the position to serve asa straight edge for marking the side cut of the jack rafters. Further,when the index pointer 36 is also set to the same pitch, as indicated bythe scale 38a, and the blade 33 is swung, as in Fig. 2, to give theplumb-cut for the hip and valley rafters, the link Y35 is positioned formarking the side cuts for these rafters.` This result is made possibleby forming the slots 24 and 3l in the double curved shape shown. In Fig.1, I have indicated how the slot 24 and the scale 29 are laid out. Withthe blade I6 standing out from the stock at a right angle, there wouldbe no pitch and the index pointer 25 should be in zero position. Theslot 24 should, therefore start at some point in thel arc of the circleabout the pivot 20; and, since the slot must curve toward the far edgeof the stock, as will be seen, the slot should kstart near the adjacentedge, the screw hole for the pivot pin 23 being at the center line ofthe slot. A series of positions are indicated for the pivot 20 as theblade is swung on its pivot I5. Now let the blade be moved to theposition necessary for a pitch of 2 inches rise per foot of run. Thepivot 20 will now be at the position designated 2P. The screw hole forpin 23 must now be so positioned over the stock that the link 2| is atthe proper angle for the side cut of the jack rafter, and a mark is madethrough said hole. The center line of the slot 24 must include thatmark. The indicating mark 2, .of the scale 29 is now impressed on thestock. The blade I6 is then swung to the angle corresponding to a pitchof three inches per foot, with the pivot 20 in the position indicatedat3P. The end of the link is now swung until the angle of the link iscorrect for the side cut, and another mark is made through the screwhole in the end. 'I'hat mark must lie in the center line of the slot.The index mark 3 is now made in the scale 29. vIn like manner, as manymarks as may be necessary for definitely laying out the center line ofthe slot may be made; and, when so made, the slot 24 may be formed. Aswill be seen from the numerous marks 212.31, etc, and the linesconnecting them with the center 'une of the"-'slptjftheliatter assumesthe Y roof to be constructed, the'index kpointers are set to that pitch,as'shownon the scales 29 and 38 and, in sodoing, the blades and thelinks are positioned for laying `"out all the common, hip, valley andjack rafters required for that roof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A device of thecharacter described comprising a pair of parallel spaced side plateswith means for holding them apart to produce a hollow stock member withopen spaces between the edges of the plates, a pair of parallel pivotmembers extending transversely through the stock near one of its ends, ablade pivoted on one of said members and adapted to swing from an outerposition to an inner position where it is housed Within the stock, ascale impressed upon one of said side plates to designate roof pitches,an index member adapted for movement on the stock alongside said scale,a link connecting the said blade with said index member, the angles ofthe blade and link with the stock varying as the index member is movedand the blade and link being a-dapted to serve as markers for the plumband side cuts, respectively of a jack rafter having the pitch for whichthe index member is set, a second blade pivoted on the other of saidpivot members for swinging from an outer position to an inner positionwhere it is housed within the stock, said second blade moving in a planewhich is parallel with but is spaced from the plane of movement of therst mentioned blade, both of said blades pivoting fromY the same end ofthe stock member and lying side by side in said member when they are inclosed position, a scale denoting pitches of hip and valley raftersimpressed upon the other of the side plates of the stock, a second indexmember adapted for movement on the stock alongside the last mentionedscale, and a link connecting said second blade and said second indexmember, said second blade and its link being adapted for marking theplumb cut and side cut respectively of a hip or valley raiter having thepitch indicated by the second index member upon said second scale.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which each of the side plates ofthe stock is provided with a slot by which the respective one of theindex members is guided in its movements.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which each of the side plates ofthe stock is provided with a double-curved slot by which the respectiveone of the index members is guided in its movement.

4. A device as set forth in claim l in which means are provided forindicating the length of common rafter required for a building havingthe pitch for which the first mentioned index member is set.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which means are provided forindicating the lengths of the common, the hip and the valley rafterswhich are required for a building having the pitch for which the indexmembers are set.

6. A device of the character described comprising a hollow stock memberhaving opposed side plates, a blade pivoted in said member adjacent oneend thereof and adapted to swing from an outer position to anin'nerilitinwh it 4is housed within vthe stockfa scale impressed uponVone of said side'plate'st'o designate i'oi' pitches, a curved slot in@the Saidside Identiteit--v tendingyalongside said scale, an'ffindex inemslidable in said slot, a link connectin'grsaid lblade' With Ysaid indexmember, the angles of the blade andlink with the stock varying as'the'indeik member is moved inthe curved slot varr-dftheblade and Vlinkbeing adapted vto serve 'asmaker's "for" the plumb and side cuts,respectively,--f aijak rafter having the Apitch for which the Yindex-"infima ber is set, that side of the stock member having said slotbeing .provided with a second scale extending along that margin fromwhich the blade is adapted to be extended, and a second blade having ascale thereon corresponding in its markings to the markings of saidsecond scale, said second blade being adapted for attachment to thefirst-mentioned blade and being slidable thereon toward and from thepivot of said firstl blade, the second blade extending at a right anglefrom the rst blade and intersecting the said second scale where thefirst blade is in other than a right-angled position with the stock, theconstruction being such that when the second blade is moved until thepoint o-f intersection of its scale with the second scale corresponds onthe scale of the second blade to the run of a rafter said point ofintersection will correspond on the'- second scale to the length of saidrafter.

'7. A device of the character described comprising a hollow stock memberhaving opposed side plates, a blade pivoted in said member adjacent oneend thereof and adapted to swing from an outer position to an innerposition where it is housed within the stock, a scale impressed upon oneof said plates to designate roof pitches, a curved slot in the said sideplate extending alongside said scale, an index member slidable in saidslot, a link connecting said blade with said index member, the angles ofthe'blade and link with the stock varying as the index member is movedin the curved slot and the blade and link being adapted to serve asmarkers for the plumb and side cuts, respectively of a jack raftr havingthe pitch for which the index member is set, that side of the stockmember having said slot being provided with a second scale extendingalong that margin from which the blade is adapted to be extended, and asecond blade having a scale thereon corresponding in its markings to themarkings of said second scale, said second blade being adapted forattachment to the first mentioned blade and being slidable thereontoward and from the pivot of said second blade, the second bladeVextending at a right angle from the first blade and intersecting thesaid second scale when the first blade is in other than a right angledposition with respect to the stock, for the purpose specied, a thirdblade pivoted in the stock adjacent the pivot of the first blade andadapted to swing from an outer to an inner position where it is housedwithin the stock, said third blade moving in a. plane which is parallelwith the plane of movement of the first blade but in direction opposedto; the movements of the rst blade, a scale denoting pitches of hip andvalley rafters impressed upon the other of the side plates of the stock,said other side plate being provided with a curved slot alongside thelast-mentioned scale, a second index member adapted for sliding movementwithin the latter curved slot, a link connecting said third blade andthe second index member, said third blade by the setting of the secondindex member.

8.',A device as set forth in claim 6 in which the first blade isprovided with an out-turnedA longitudinal flange and in which the secondblade is provided with a transverse slot to receive thesaid ange.

9. A device as set forth in claim 'lv in which the first and thirdblades are each provided with an out-turned longitudinal flange and inwhich the second blade is provided with a transverse slot to receive theflange of the blade to which said second blade is attached.

ROBERT L. GREVEA

